Alex Clayton opened Shaka Bar in 2018 to bring a bit more fun to Phillip Island’s main late-night district, San Remo. His tiki and tapas bar became a huge hit with the younger crowd, doubling as a decent date spot as well as a fun place to party.

Hanging lanterns, ample pineapple paraphernalia, and a purple palm tree-shaped neon sign that reads “no bad days” is a sure sign of big nights past and future here. The holiday mood is completed by the sooth sounds of a frozen margarita machine slushing away behind the straw-hut bar.

No tiki venue worth its salt would trade without a Mai Tai in tow, and Shaka Bar does a pretty accessible one comprising Nusa Cana white rum, Gosling dark rum, Cointreau, orgeat and lime juice. There’s also range of refreshing brews from Hawaii’s Kona Brewing on tap – a pretty rare thing to see in an Australian bar, let alone one on Phillip Island.

If your stomach is in need of filling (or lining), there’s a menu of burgers, tacos and hotdogs, with an ever-so slight lean towards Asian flavours in places.